London-listed Kendrick Resources has reported the start of Phase 2 drilling on the Teufelskuppe (TK) and Keishohe (KH) rare earth carbonatites at its Bonya rare earth project, in Namibia.

Based on reconnaissance work and a detailed review of extensive historic exploration, including channel sampling and drilling, Kendrick says it has selected drill collars and initiated a drilling programme to formalise historic in-house non-Joint Ore Reserves Committee- (Jorc-) mineral resource estimates.

The decision to progress to resource definition drilling has been prompted by the consistently high-grade rare earth element (REE) assay results generated by all types of historic exploration for both TK and KH.

"We are very pleased with the results of our due diligence and initial analysis of available data, which turned out to be significant and material to our future planning.  

“Based on the amount and quality of previous work, we intend to fast-track to the next phase and commence resource and further reconnaissance drilling at drill-ready targeted sites. 

“We are very excited about taking the project to the next phase, for potentially considerable shareholder value enhancement.  We will keep shareholders posted as results emerge,” says Kendrick Resources executive chairperson Colin Bird.

The company notes that all eight of the defined REE carbonatite intrusions (TK1A, TK1B, TK2 - TK7) that make up the TK cone sheet complex will be drill tested, adding that all TK intrusions are characterised by high REE grades.

Kendrick says drilling is expected to provide confirmation of the orientation of the cone sheets making up the bulk of the high-grade REE mineralisation which, in turn, will determine parameters for close-spaced drilling to generate a maiden Jorc mineral resource estimate at TK.

A similar programme has been initiated at the nearby KH REE complex where cone sheets have resulted in a large number of mineralised bodies offering scope for the delineation of a substantial future resource.

Kendrick says KH has been subject to previous drilling returning high-grade mineralisation from multiple mineralised bodies also forming a large cone sheet complex.

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Meanwhile, Kendrick notes that a digital elevation model has been commissioned to provide the basis for a volumetric estimate of above-ground mineralisation at TK, together with high-resolution orthophotos for both the TK and KH licences to aid future development.

Additionally, the company adds that US-based expertise has been engaged to undertake a range of petrological studies using Keyence microscope, electron microprobe analysis, X-ray diffraction and bulk rock X-ray fluorescence analysis to inform future metallurgical test and to increase the understanding of mineral textures, phases and alteration types.

Moreover, the company reports that numerous mineralised breccias have been identified near high-grade cone sheets at both TK and KH.

Kendrick says visual evidence of REE-bearing high-grade veinlets, microfractures and rock fragments indicates another potential mineral resource warranting further investigation.

The company says bulk samples will be collected while channel sampling is completed with a representative bulk sample being dispatched for dry ore sorting sighter testwork, aimed at generating a high-grade preconcentrate for further concentration.